| Claire with her family, college ready....the car is packed! |
Claire is our visiting blogger.....this is one of 3 posts from Claire, so check back and read what Claire has to say about frats, majors and workloads!!! Thanks Claire for thinking of us!........your post is awesome. I LOVE what you have to say about SATs and the College Essay.
Dear future ICE graduates,
Congratulations on making it through another school year! I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer- whether you are interning, travelling, or kicking back and relaxing. I was extremely pleased to hear that Jennifer Wells had started a college blog and was looking for ICE graduates to share their college experiences. A little introduction is needed before I share with you my experiences, tips to succeeding in college, and my opinion about the college application process.
My name is Claire Feuer and I graduated ICE in 2010. I am a rising sophomore at Binghamton University and plan to double major in Spanish and Anthropology. Seth Newman and Sofia Goldberg (two of my closest friends also attend Binghamton).
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| Library @ Binghamton University photo: Jonathan Cohen |
Tips from Freshman Perspective:
College App process
SATs: The entire process is stressful but you have to remember that, like one of Imani's daunting long-term projects, it will soon be over! Sure, it might seem that conversations surrounding the SATs, have begun to dominate everyday conversations with friends, especially if you are in the 11th and 12th grade. However, don't worry, once you enter college EVERYONE (including parents, bragging students, and even colleges) has forgotten about SAT scores. My point is, don't let SAT scores bother you. While they are vital to many competitive colleges, they are also numbers that, when standing alone, do not offer much insight as to who you are, your values, and even your academic standing. On that note for those who are applying to colleges that require them, you should be practicing and getting acquainted with SAT- style questions. The SATs do a poor job at identifying what material you know but do an excellent job at seeing whether you know the necessary "tricks" that will save you time and frustration.
ACTs: I never took these but you should explore these as an alternative if you are applying to schools that require either the SAT or the ACT.
Scholarship: College is expensive no matter where you attend. There are a ton of scholarships that are offered but require a lot of searching, dedication, and determination. One great website to find scholarships is www.fastweb.com. On this site, you fill out a profile and the site will automatically go through all of the scholarships posted on the web- plus it’s free to make an account! Scholarships range in money amounts. There are also more creative scholarships like making a prom dress out of duct tape.
Personal Essay: I would argue that the personal essay is by far the most difficult and most important piece of your college application. As JWells has told you numerous times, this is YOUR chance to connect with the reader on a personal level. College readers receive thousands of essays and you want to make sure that your essay stands out.
Personal Obstacles: If you're like me, a perfectionist and someone who writes one sentence per hour, you should create a timeline. The last thing you want to do is to turn in a rushed personal essay. Set aside a good chunk of time designated to brainstorming ideas, free writing, and editing. I wrote at least five drafts, each that focused on a different experience, and scratched them all. Of all the essays that I have read and written, the best ones are those that I/readers could relate to and could sense the writer's passion (which means that you should choose a topic that inspires you and that you enjoy writing about). I ended up writing my personal essay a week before it was due (cutting it a bit short) and it was ironically about my continual struggle with writing- so topics do vary!
Tips: Have a few people read your essay. Of course submitting your work for peer review is always nerve racking (especially if it’s extremely personal), but this is not the time to be shy. Being open to critical feedback and acknowledging that great writing requires editing is a piece of knowledge that should be carried into college. Professors expect you to have edited your essays (more than once) before submitting work and often times what is clear to you might not be clear to anyone else. Have your friends read your essay and provide critical feedback (students at ICE are masters at providing this- since our curriculum emphasizes this). Ask reviewers if your writings is clear and, beyond that, if your writing reflects your personality? It also might be helpful to have a teacher that you are close to and a complete stranger read your essay. Once you receive your feedback don't feel pressured to make any changes- this is your personal essay.
If you are interested in reading my personal essay feel free to contact me through this College Blog and I'll email it to you.
Thanks again Claire!
Jennifer
Jennifer
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